The opening night of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) was disrupted on Thursday after anti-Israel protesters attempted to briefly disrupt a screening of the opening film.
Their slogan was aimed at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), the official banking partner of the annual film festival.
of The Hollywood Reporter Notes The protest took place before a screening of David Gordon Green's opening film. NutcrackerA screening of “The Movie,” starring Ben Stiller, took place at Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre ahead of a nearby screening attended by the star himself.
The outlet reported what happened next, saying that four protesters chanted “From Turtle Island to Palestine, RBC is funding genocide” and held up banners declaring “RBC is killing our future” and calling for “TIFF to cut ties with RBC.”
About four minutes later, the protesters were escorted out of the theater by security guards amid a chorus of boos from the audience.
The group, called RBC Off Screen, said in an emailed statement. Saw The Canadian Press said the protest was “an act of solidarity with those fighting to address the climate crisis, end the war in Gaza and support Indigenous sovereignty.”
The statement said the disruption was part of ongoing calls from film industry and environmental groups for TIFF to end its partnership with RBC, which they criticize for its ties to the fossil fuel industry and investments in arms manufacturers involved in the Israel-Hamas war.
RBC called the protests “regrettable” and said such demonstrations distract attention from artists and “undermine support” for the arts.
“While we respect the right of individuals to express their opinions, it is disappointing that activist groups are attempting to hijack this important cultural event,” the bank said in a statement to The Canadian Press late Thursday, expressing deep sympathy for those affected by the “humanitarian crisis in Israel and Gaza.”
